As security standards turn more privacy-centered, Android ID has emerged as a unique identifier for Android devices. To balance device recognition with strict user privacy, Google evolved Android ID into an app-scoped identifier that prevents cross-app tracking. Android ID solves the modern privacy puzzle: it recognizes devices securely without compromising user data protection.
Android ID serves as an alternative device ID by providing an individual identity bound to an Android device at the software level, rather than the hardware. This makes it easier for IT teams to manage and use it across critical use cases such as analytics, personalization, and device management. Android ID solves the dilemma of creating unique device recognition without invading privacy controls or losing consistency across workflows.
Let’s dive further into what exactly Android ID is, why it’s important, and its different use cases, including those related to device management through a UEM solution.
What is Android ID?
Android ID is a unique 64-bit alphanumeric, hexadecimal string automatically generated by the Android OS the first time a device is booted up or after a factory reset. It acts as a digital fingerprint to help apps and services tell one device apart from another. Developers can access this ID using the Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID constant.
At the OS level, Android ID is a core element of how Android handles device-level identification across apps, services, and management platforms.
Significance of Android ID as a device identifier
Android ID serves as an essential anchor for both developers and IT admins.
Development side: Developers can use Android ID to track app installations, manage licenses, and count active users without accessing sensitive hardware details like IMEI numbers.
Management side: Android ID forms the foundation for device recognition and security in enterprise environments by allowing security systems to verify that an account or app is being accessed from a recognized device. It acts as a point of reference for device inventory, lifecycle management, and secure access control.
Changes across Android versions
Over time and across Android versions, Android ID has changed significantly. These changes vary across the behavior and the persistence of the ID itself under different scenarios. Understanding the changes is crucial for developers and IT teams managing these enterprise devices.
| Android Version | Android ID Behavior | Persistence Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Version 8.0 & below | Single ID shared across all apps | Resets only after app uninstall/ reinstall |
| Version 8.0 – 9.0 | Created per app and per user account | Persists for the same app and user till the device is factory reset |
| Version 10 – 12+ | Scoped per app for individual user profiles only | Persists for the same app installation by the same user only; regenerated otherwise |
| Multi-user | Each user is assigned a unique Android ID | ID is not shared across profiles for any reason |
| Factory reset | ID is reset and regenerated without fail | Creates a new unique ID on the initial boot after a factory reset |
Android ID vs IMEI vs Serial Number
While providing the same core functionality of identification, Android ID differs vastly from other device IDs, such as IMEI and serial numbers. All of them serve different purposes, carry different privacy implications, and come with their own set of access restrictions.
Android ID vs IMEI
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a hardware-tied identifier embedded at the modem level of a device. It uniquely identifies physical devices across networks. Accessing it requires the READ_PHONE_STATE permission, which makes it more adherent to user consent and privacy regulations.
Android ID, on the other hand, is a software-generated identifier created during an Android device’s first boot and applied per app and per user for devices with modern OS versions. It can be accessed through Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID without requiring telephony privileges. This makes it more accessible in scenarios where obtaining IMEIs is not feasible.
Android ID vs Serial Number
The serial number is a manufacturer-defined, hardware-level identifier that is etched into a device. It was previously used as a trusted device-level identification, but access to it is increasingly restricted with newer Android releases. On Android 10+ devices, direct access to serial numbers is limited to system apps and privileged device management solutions.
Contrastingly, Android ID remains consistently accessible to the application layer without requiring runtime permissions. This provides developers, IT teams, and UEM vendors with a more reliable, predictable, and secure identifier.
Android ID use cases
Android ID’s versatility as an identifier makes it the best fit for developers and IT admins who need a software-level identifier for managed devices. Here are some key use cases of Android ID:
1. Licensing and DRM
Through Android ID, apps that work on a subscription-based access can tie the licences and content to the persistent Android ID associated with the app and user. This curbs license abuse, content duplication, or unauthorized sharing.
2. Analytics
Since Android ID is scoped per app, it can be used as an anonymous device identifier for tracking telemetry and measuring device-level metrics, such as engagement statistics or feature adoption, without linking to the user’s personal information.
3. App personalization
Certain factors, such as settings, preferences, or cached data, can be linked to a specific Android ID, ensuring that the user experience remains consistent across sessions without requiring constant re-logins.
4. Device registration
UEM platforms can utilize Android ID to register and enroll devices into the managed system. This also works for BYOD and non-kiosk devices.
5. Policy and security enforcement
Android ID allows IT admins to apply bulk policies across thousands of endpoints while maintaining per-device control and identifying when a single endpoint faces an issue. This also makes it easy to enforce access restrictions based on the device ID to ensure only authorized devices can access sensitive data.
To wrap it up
Android ID acts as a binding agent between apps and user profiles with their unique settings and data on a software level rather than a hardware level, which has become increasingly vulnerable. Through it, IT admins can manage devices and tailor content and data policies to each user without invading their privacy.
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FAQs
1. What is an Android ID, and why is it important?
Android ID is a unique 64-bit alphanumeric, hexadecimal string automatically generated by the Android OS that acts as a digital fingerprint to help apps and services tell one device apart from another.
2. Is Android ID the same as IMEI?
No, Android ID and IMEI are completely different. While both are used to identify your device, they serve different purposes and function differently. IMEI is a permanent 15-digit, globally unique number assigned to your phone’s physical hardware at the factory and is used by cellular networks to identify your device for calls, texts, and mobile data.
Android ID is a 64-bit hexadecimal string automatically generated by the Android operating system when a device is first booted up after a factory reset and is used by the software ecosystem to identify your specific device for licensing and tracking without exposing permanent hardware details. It is not permanent and can change after a full factory reset on the device.
3. Is Android ID unique across all Android devices?
No, the Android ID is not globally unique across all Android devices. Since Android 8.0 (API level 26), Google has changed how the Android ID behaves to improve user privacy. Instead of generating one global ID for the entire device, the operating system generates an ID based on three factors: The device itself, the specific user profile on the device, and the app’s signing key
4. Can users change or regenerate an Android ID
Yes, users can change or regenerate an Android ID, but they cannot do it directly through a simple toggle in the standard settings menu. Changing it requires specific actions that trigger the system to wipe or overwrite the existing identifier, such as a factory reset or uninstall/reinstall of the app.
5. Can enterprise mobility solutions leverage Android ID?
Yes, enterprise mobility solutions and unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions can leverage the Android ID and use it as a device identifier for enterprise tracking.
6. How to find Android ID?
To find an Android ID, you can retrieve it programmatically using Android APIs or view it through a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution for managed devices. The Android ID helps identify a device for app management, security, and administrative purposes without relying on hardware identifiers.
